While it’s customary to want to start the New Year on a high, filled with resolve, filled with fresh expectation, filled with new promise and a page full of new wishes— and I’m a big YES to all of this— I started looking at how I end the year much more than how I begin a new one.

Nature runs in cycles. Completing a cycle fully, we move into the next.

When things aren’t completed, it’s sort of like gathering up a pile of things to donate and letting them sit there. The feeling of release is incomplete.

Given I just walked one such large bag to donation yesterday, and felt as I gratefully let it go the actual freeing feeling I was after when I gathered it all together, it’s fresh in my mind!

Also, how we finish things (or, if we actually finish things) is as vital as how we start them.

So, while getting ready for 2022, as the Catalyst Camp Feng Shui Home + Life Declutter opens for the fresh start of a New Year ahead, ending this year on a high is the Feng Shui on my mind.

How have you been doing things?

I love the idea that how you do one thing is how you do everything.

At points in my life when I felt lost and scattered this concept scared me. As I’ve grown more organized and grounded in purpose, this question still is just as provocative.

This isn’t a question of judgement but rather a question of deep illuminating perspective. Even if you realize you’ve been doing things in a way that’s not ideal for you and your life, and perhaps especially if you see that this has been happening, this is a big change-maker that runs through every day.

I used to do everything with an energy concerned with perfection that was on the border (and often crossed the border) of extreme stress. I thought this was “success energy,” pushing my creativity and will to its ends.

Life was showing me a reflection of all that perfectionist stress by bringing me critical people, stressful situations and other things I didn’t want to experience.

I’d love to say that this all ended when I started this Feng Shui practice, but that habit took a long time to let go. It wasn’t easy for me to see that what I was wired to read as “success” was force, stress and pressure that pervaded my days. I wasn’t really aware of it. I wasn’t looking at “how I was doing things,” while I was solely focused on “what I was doing.”

How are you doing things? Does the energy and ways you show up align with your values and your intentions?

Shifting HOW I was doing things was far more important than any goals I set or things that I accomplished. It’s one of the biggest things I look at now when I’m ready to make a change.

Create a private celebration. 

What would be the greatest gift you can give yourself this season?

I host a big celebration of the season at my house every year full of food and friends and all the gratitude… I love gift-giving and I love connecting with everyone…

But, one thing I don’t forget to do now is a private little celebration for myself!

A day of me celebrating me is something long overdue. I’ve really gotten deeper into self-care in a profound way this year— personal boundaries, lots of rest, a liver detox, and more— but to celebrate it, I want to do something that feels really renewing!

If you don’t celebrate things, it feels like little has been accomplished, you know?

If you want to start a fresh creative cycle, celebration can be the vital ending to the past cycle!

Start clearing space in ways that have a big impact.

End a cycle with a feeling of gratitude and release.

I’m clearing plant pots I have stored outside that have been on my mind as an unfinished cycle by filling them with herbs to grow my own sage wands. I’m clearing some extra space in my files by scanning papers that are more useful as PDF files and recycling the pages. And, I just carried that bag of donations to the Goodwill yesterday, so that cycle is completed and feels amazing.

These are a few small things that have been on my mind that I can enjoy.

While you may not have been able to manage clearing all your clutter before January 1st (!!!) you most certainly can clear up any outstanding confusion in some area of life, or make thoughtful lists to get organized in the New Year when you’re back to work, or learn how to recycle your wrapping paper from holiday presents and get that done, or… or… or…

Find what is easy to do but persistent clutter for you and take care of that little bit.

Even if you don’t get it done before the New Year begins, you’ll much more officially be done with the old cycles.

Clearing the old makes space for the new. 

Positive endings create new positive beginnings. 

Letting go is always instantly impactful. 

Here’s to all the creative magic ahead!

xoxo!!!

Dana

P.S.: For a few more days till we begin the Catalyst Camp Feng Shui Home + Life Declutter is OPEN for registration. Learn more and join us HERE.

P.P.S.: The School of Intention Professional Feng Shui Certification Program starts soon. HERE is where you can get the details and register for this one-of-a-kind Feng Shui training.

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And, if you want to dive in to your own personalized feng shui in a modern, practical way, Say hello to Feng Shui 101.

It’s the guide I made for you to create your own personalized Feng Shui at home, in the office, wherever you may be… in 8 weeks.

It’s not filled with strict rules or what you “must” do.

It’s filled with information, questions, exercises and even videos and classes to help you confidently create amazing spaces with killer Feng Shui and live with more flow.   Learn more about the 8-week Feng Shui adventure & grab your copy to get started right HERE… 

And, as always, please let me know what happens!